Rib Subluxation: Anyone dealt with this?

About eighteen months ago, I injured my ribs—possibly even fractured them.
A month after the injury, despite being told to rest while they healed, I overexerted myself by digging with a shovel for hours. That likely made things worse. Now, whenever I push myself physically or lift something heavy, the dislocation recurs, leaving me weak and struggling to breathe for several months at a time.
A year after the initial injury, I had an ultrasound. The radiologist noted a minor subluxation in the left costosternal joint, with some subcutaneous edema near the site, but no signs of surrounding fluid. He insisted I needed strict rest for a few months, to which I pointed out I’d already been resting for a year. He simply told me to follow up with my primary care physician.
Last week, I saw a surgeon. He stated it’s highly probable my ribs healed incorrectly and there isn't much more to be done. He also mentioned something about pressure being applied to a nerve, causing the injury to constantly recur, though I didn't quite grasp the medical specifics.
He predicted I will likely deal with this for many years to come.
I have seen an osteopath several times, and twice I felt significantly better.
After treatment, the dislocation seemed to recede, giving me the impression that if it settled just a bit more, the ribs would heal perfectly. However, the surgeon dismissed this as mere subjectivity, claiming the subluxation is permanent.
I am interested in knowing what long-term consequences I might face from improperly healed ribs during physical exertion. What is the functional difference between ribs that heal correctly versus those that heal incorrectly?

Unfortunately, it sounds like your surgeon gave you a pretty straight shot at what’s coming next.

The reality is, you can't just retire from life and sit on the couch forever.
To be honest, stabilizing that joint isn't some easy fix—I'm sitting here trying to wrap my head around how one would even go about doing that.
Maybe some specific kind of physical therapy could (and I really mean *maybe*) help steady things up, but you'd need a top-tier trainer, a massive amount of patience, and decent pain management—like a Lidocaine patch, for instance. But then again, Medicare would probably have a field day penalizing any doctor who prescribes that unless you're dealing with post-herpetic neuralgia, so that whole path is pretty murky.

Or, you just play the waiting game and hope the universe decides to cooperate.

By the way, an osteopath might offer some temporary relief, but there's always that risk where any manual manipulation could actually make things worse in the long run (and let's be real, that goes for my suggestion too, so nobody's getting ahead of themselves here).

It's not an uncommon spot to be in, either; people honestly deal with this kind of grind for years on end.👎

Thanks for the reply.
You're right; I can't just sit here forever, and frankly, my patience is wearing thin.
I'm hesitant about starting any kind of exercise because physical exertion seems to make everything worse.
I read online that people with misaligned rib fractures can often return to normal physical activity just like those whose ribs healed correctly, but that hasn't been my experience.
(Back in 2012, I broke the same rib; it took five months to heal properly before I could get back to running and sports. Interestingly, the same surgeon told me then that recovery would take six weeks, yet it lasted five months. That gives me hope that this current diagnosis might be wrong too.)
My biggest fear is causing damage to my spine or my internal organs.
In the past, whenever I pushed myself too hard with bruised ribs, I felt a corresponding pain in my spine.
I'll be at the beach for a month and a half this year, and I plan to swim every single day since I've heard it helps with these issues. I also have a few more appointments scheduled with an osteopath. If this isn't resolved within eleven months, I’m done resting—whatever happens, happens.
Is there anything else I should do or any specific specialist I should see to feel better?
What are the actual risks if I stop resting and start pushing myself despite this misalignment?

I came across some German medical sites suggesting a solution for improperly healed ribs—something I’m personally struggling with due to a medical issue. Apparently, they break them again to reset them correctly.
Does anyone here have any actual insight into this procedure?
If this is a standard practice, which specialist should I be seeing?

That’s definitely not the smartest move you could make.

And honestly—unless there's some major medical reason behind it—I highly doubt you'll find a surgeon here in the States who's actually going to go in and try to reset ribs that healed unevenly. 🤔
I personally wouldn't touch that with a ten-foot pole.

Broken ribs are always such an unstable mess, and there's just no guarantee that any follow-up fracture would ever heal up straight.

I have absolutely no desire to undergo such a procedure myself, but I was curious from a purely theoretical standpoint: how is this done, and by whom?
If such a thing is actually performed, please describe the process and whether general anesthesia is required.
I am a layman, but I want to be as informed as possible since I have been struggling with this for a year and a half now.
During this time, whenever I exert myself physically or lift something heavy, my ribs pop out of place.
Afterward, I struggle to breathe initially, and I feel weak for about three months.
Once those three months pass, things improve slightly, but that dislocation—which is the root cause of everything—remains.
The dislocation persists; every time I push myself physically, my ribs shift and catch again.
I am also wondering what you meant by a "strong medical indication," and whether it makes sense for me to consult a spine specialist.

You could always head over to a local orthopedic specialist to get a second opinion (assuming I caught that right and this was all due to an injury), but honestly, I’m pretty convinced there’s almost zero chance anyone is going to jump in and try to actively treat 🤔

The surgeon gave you the straight truth.

I had my X-ray today.
Here’s the report: a targeted scan of the left hemithorax was performed.
No visible bone trauma or rib fractures were found.
There is no pleural effusion or pneumothorax in the lung.
The spine specialist reviewed the X-ray and felt the swelling.
He stated the X-ray looks fine. He noted I might still deal with that dislocation during physical exertion, but he assured me it’s just pain—it won't damage my internal organs or my spine.
I’m confused. How can the X-ray be perfectly clear if the subluxation is still happening? (The ultrasound confirmed it.)
Theoretically, what’s the catch? If the X-ray is normal, why does that area pop out whenever I push myself physically? Most importantly, the specialist said that even if I strain myself with bruised ribs, I won't damage my spine. Is that actually true? This is my main concern because my posture is already a mess.
I heard thoracic surgeons specialize in rib issues, but since my X-ray is clean, is there any reason to see one?
Can I stop worrying?

I visited thoracic surgery last week.
The surgeon who examined me advised complete rest, to which I
replied that I have already been resting for a year and a half. He then suggested surgical removal was an option.
I told him there is absolutely no way I am going under the knife, and he agreed that the choice is mine.
Now, I have one specific concern. Someone mentioned that physical exertion with this protrusion could damage my spine, and since I
already struggle significantly with posture and spinal issues, I need to know if there is any truth to that.
My only fear is damaging my spine (I don't care about anything else; I'm young and doubt this could seriously affect my other organs, and even when it hurts, it doesn't bother me), so I am seeking advice.

I bet the surgeon gave you the heads-up that even if you end up going under the knife, that area is probably never going to feel quite as rock-solid or stable as it did before the injury hit you. 🤔

I’m pretty much on the same page as your doctor here.

The spine is a delicate thing and can definitely take some real damage, so it makes total sense to go talk to a solid physical therapist. They can walk you through which movements are totally fine and which ones you really need to steer clear of during your day-to-day routine 👍
.
Plus, they'll likely set you up with a specific workout regimen that you'll need to stick with for the long haul 🧐

I really ought to mow the lawn, but I am concerned about risking a spinal injury.
Shouldn't you see an orthopedic surgeon first?
I saw a spine specialist at an orthopedic clinic two weeks ago. He insisted that this dislocation can only cause pain and absolutely cannot be linked to my spine or damage it under any circumstances.
And now, after everything that's happened, who can actually be trusted?
How does one locate a decent physical therapist in Chicago?

Who actually handles kinesitherapy—is it a physiatrist, a physical therapist, or an orthopedic surgeon?
I need to find a solid specialist just to get a baseline opinion.
I’ve consulted an osteopath before.